eenner



(No Model.) 2 Sheets,SI1eet 1.

J. RENNER.

AUTOMATIC RAILWAY SWITCH.

No. 398,748. Patented Feb. 26, 1889.

mmawboz N. PETERS. Photo-Lflhogmpher. Washmglom D. c.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.v

J. RENNER.

AUTOMATIG RAILWAY SWITCH.

No. 398,748. Patented Feb. 26, 1889. 8% F IIIIIIIIIIII N. PETERS, Phmamho m mr. Waslunglon. D C.

UNiTEn STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

JOSHUA RENNER, OF HAGERSTOWN, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR ()F ONE-HALF TO THOMAS E. MITTAG, OF SAME PLACE.

AUTOMATIC RAILWAY-SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 398,748, dated February 26, 1889. Application filed January 4, 1888. Serial No. 259,775. (No model.)

To all 107007. 2, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOSHUA RENNER, acitizen of the United States, residing at Hagers town, in the county of \Vashington and State 5 t hlaryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Operating Automatic Switches; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable IO others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in devices for operating automatic railway-switches; and its object is I to furnish a device of this character which shall be economical in point of manufacture, and which shall combine durability and efiiciency of operation with simplicity of construction. To effect this object I have de vised the arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 represents a railway-switch provided with my improved automatic shifting apparatus, the switch being in the adjustment necessary to complete the main line. Fig. 2 represents a locomotive-engine provided with an attachment for operating the shifting apparatus, and Figs. 3 and 4 represent enlarged detail views of said attachment.

Similar letters of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings, 1 l im'licatesthe main line or railway-track, and 2 2 a side track therefrom. 3 indicates a frog, and a a 3 5 switch, pivoted at 5, as indicated. The outer or free ends of the switch at are supported and secured upon a cross-piece, G, for the purpose of moving said switch with the cross-piece. The cross-piecc (i is connected on opposite sides of the track through the intern'iediency of the links 7 8 with the disks .1 1.0. The disk 9 is provided with two connecting or coupling rods, 11 12, which respectively extend to the disks 13 1t, and the disks 13 ll are in their turn connected by links 15 16 to the pivoted arms 17 18. In like manner, as.

described, the disk 10 is provided with coupling or connecting rods 10 20, with disks 21 22, which are joined by the links 2 2% with the arms 25 26.

Theattaclnnent for operating the shifting mechanism of the switch, illustrated in Figs. 4, 5, and 6, is attached, preteral'ily, so as to be operated from the cab of a locomotive-engine, but, if desired, may, as will be readily under- 5 5 stood, be attached to any other suitable portion of the rolling-stock. As illustrated in the drawings, it consists of a shaft, 27, supported beneath the engine by suitable journals or gudgeons and having rigidly connected to it an end disk, 28. Through the shaft 27 extend pins 29 30, and upon these pins are mounted, so as to revolve freely, the disks 31 32. The end disk, 2%, is connected by the coupling-rods 33 3i with a revoluble disk, 35, located within the engine-cab and having an operating-handle, 36.

The parts of my invention being constructed and arranged as described, the operation of it is as follows: Assuming the main line to be closed, as indicated in Fig. 1, the various portions of the shifting apparatus will occupy the positions indicated in that figure, and an engine or train approaching from either direction upon the main line will be free to pass on over said line. If, however, an engine or train approaching from the right, with respect to Fig. 1, desires to pass upon the siding 2, the engineer or other attendant, by means of the handle 36, turns the disk 35, thereby causing the connecting arms 33 34 to revolve the disk 28 to a corresponding degree and with it the shaft 27, the movement being continued until one of the disks 31 or 32, according as the locomotive is advancing or backing, is lowered to such position that it will strike against the said pivoted arm 25 as the engine passes over said arm. The arm 25 is accordingly rocked upon its pivot until it assumes a position parallel to the direction of 0 the rails of the main track. During this motion the link 23 partially revolves the disk 21, which in turn draws back the couplingrod 19, revolves the disk 10, and through the intermediency of the link 8 moves the crosspiece 6 and. with it the pivoted switch, there by opening communicationbetween the main track and the siding and permitting the en gine or train to pass upon the siding.

It will be noted'on reference to the draw Ioo ings that an engineer approachingfrom either direction on the main line enabled to complete the main line should the switch be open; also to open or close it accordingly as he wishes to pass in or out of the siding.

It is apparent that my shifting apparatus, as a whole, may be applied generally to the class of pivoted switches or the like for instance, the well-known loch-switch, provided with danger-signalsother than that illustrated in the drawings, by obvious modifications within the knowledge of those skilled in the art. I do not, therefore, desire to restrict myself to any particular kind of switch as constituting an element of my invention.

It will be noted as characteristic of the eccentric-disks mounted upon the shaft of the engine-cab attachment that when one of said disks is lowered the other is raised, thereby rendering it impossible for both to be in operative position at the same time, thus sceurel y guardingagain st damage which would result from the disks striking the arms 17 25 simultaneously.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is

A device for actuating an automatic switch of the kind described, consisting of a shaft, 27, carrying eccentrics 31 32, an end disk, 28, attached to said shaft, a disk, 35, provided with a hand-1e er, androd s connecting the two disks, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSHUA RENNER.

itnesses:

M. S. BARBER, JOHN L. BIKLE. 

